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Horseback riding in the Catskills

Want to see the mountains from a higher perch? The stunning vistas of the Catskills are always just a fraction more scenic from horseback. It's science.

Ashokan Riding ClubAll year round, proprietors Elene and Umberto Schoeps lead beginner-friendly trail rides through the woods near the breathtaking Ashokan Reservoir. Riding lessons also available. By appointment. Olivebridge.

Rough Riders RanchIf you're having trouble channelling your inner Teddy Roosevelt, rugged adventure guide Joseph D'Acunto can help with that. (He also leads hunting expeditions; see our story about D'Acunto's Black Dome Guide Service for more on that.) $50/hour for trail rides; $300/person for two-day overnight camping expeditions on horseback, meals and tent included. East Jewett.

Circle A Ranch Circle A runs horse boarding and trail riding from two northwestern Catskills properties: one in Stamford, the other in nearby Jefferson. All around the area, miles of multi-use trails ramble through bucolic farmland and forest near the headwaters of the Delaware River's West Branch. Trail rides Tuesday through Sunday, 8am to 6pm.

Bridle Hill FarmFrom the moment owners Daniel and Elinor Young first laid eyes on this former Sullivan County dairy farm, they were in love. You may be, too. The farm, now converted into a solar-powered horse farm with boarding facilities and indoor and outdoor riding arenas, offers trail rides year-round. $40/person for a group ride, $60 private lesson. Jeffersonville.

Mohonk Mountain HouseNot quite the Catskills proper, but too good to miss, on horseback or otherwise. The grounds of the legendary Mohonk Mountain House, perched just south of the Catskills atop the Shawangunk Ridge, are crisscrossed with old carriage roads and blessed with spectacular views. Trail rides from April to November; $41 per person. New Paltz.

Correction: It's "Circle A Ranch," not "Circle A Farm," as we wrote in the print edition of the 2013 Catskills Outdoor Guide. The online version of this story has been corrected.

For more on how to enjoy the Catskills great outdoors, see the rest of our 2013 Catskills Outdoor Guide, available online or in print at a local Catskills business near you.